Bullet Bill Dudley is also in the record books for the National Football League as the only man to run for a touchdown, catch a touchdown pass, return a punt for a score, run to the end zone on a kickoff return, intercept a pass for a pick-six, pick up a fumble and reach pay dirt, and throw a touchdown pass. Top 10 All Time Steelers Running Backs - Pittsburgh Sporting News By 1974, Bleier was weighing in at 212 pounds and he made the team to stay. Franco Harris is not only the best Steelers running back in franchise history, but one of the greatest Steelers of all time. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Sidney Thornton: Another stout running back for Pittsburgh was the bullish Thornton who weighed in at 230 pounds during his play days in Pittsburgh from 1977 to 1982. Join our linker program. In 2011 Jones-Drew led the league with 1,606 rushing yards and 386 touches. Pittsburgh Steelers History: Top 10 Running Backs Of All-Time Every Steelers First-Round Draft Pick Since 2000 When a running back like Jerome Bettis, Franco Harris, or John Henry Johnson tramples linebackers and safeties all game, it grinds opponents down and destroys their will to compete. Just look back to last year when he was able to make cuts and find holes. With the Redskins, Cowboys and 49ers, Morris has 5,931 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in the 2010s. He'll get the chance to continue his career with the Browns, but he'll miss the first eight games of 2019 because of a suspension. Parker ran for 1,200 yards or better in three straight seasons and led the Steelers to two Super Bowl wins. Pittsburgh Steelers Draft History. Since there are only 11 players on offense, the running backs have to be able to function as a unit, and Le'Veon Bell could play halfback to Bettis' fullback. Foster made one attempt to come out of retirement with the Cincinnati Bengals that same year but after just a few days with the club he decided on retirement at the tender age of 26. During this decade, he earned two Pro Bowl nominations and an All-Pro bid. All Rights Reserved. Do you have a sports website? The Senate passed the bill . Mendenhall is currently No. For the Steelers he would rush for 2,243 yards five seasons. But Stewart posted 5,366 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in the decade. 3 in NFL history. Today he is 68 and still colorful. West Virginia's Senate passed a bill Monday that would give $25,000 in tax credits to former residents who move back to the state to work. That meant Bell joined Marshall Faulk as the only players in NFL history with 1,350-plus yards rushing and 850-plus yards receiving in the same season. Sutton not only enjoyed the best year of his career, but he also arguably played like a top-10 cornerback. Myles Jack 61 Minkah Fitzpatrick . Mapping out the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft: But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. Still, I think he is deserving of the number 16 spot on this list of all-time great Steelers backs. He would retire with 3,965 yards on the ground, second best in history for the Steelers at that time. Some teams also used them as receivers, and fullbacks like Larry Centers made a living catching passes out of the backfield. Najee Harris Stats, News, Bio | ESPN 4M; . But Hoak is probably best remembered for his ever-so-long tenure as the Running Backs coach with Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher. Both backs had to run well with the ball and have the skills to block for the other. The Steelers ran out the pro set for most of the 1970s and 1980s under head coach Chuck Noll. Steelers running backs - Fantasy Index Fuqua would have to be the most colorful player in Steelers history as well as the most controversial. Preston Pearson: Pearson wore Rocky Bleiers college number of 26 and was a solid football player who was a member of the Steelers first Super Bowl winning team in 1975 when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings 16-6 in Super Bowl IX. He amassed an incredible 449 touches in 2014 on his way to 1,845 rushing yards and 2,261 yards from scrimmage. He would play six seasons in Three Rivers Stadium when the Steelers were home and finish with 3,343 yards rushing. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Morris peaked as a rookie, rushing for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2012. The power running back is a dying breed in football. After a slow start (for a seventh overall draft pick from . Gurley has rushed for 4,547 rushing yards and recorded 6,430 yards from scrimmage with 56 touchdowns. The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great tight ends throughout the franchises history. He led the Steelers in rushing from 1961 to 1964 and made three straight Pro Bowls from 1962 to '64. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long history of smash-mouth football dating back to before they ever won their first Super Bowl. With teams shifting more to the passing game, these old-school running backs are becoming obsolete. The 32-year-old has yet to post a 1,000-yard season this decade, and judging by the fact he had only six rushing attempt last season, he's probably going to end the 2010s without one. In 1982, he was Pittsburghs first overall pick in the draft coming in at number 12. Which of these tight ends has left a lasting legacy in the city of Pittsburgh? 2013 Steelers 2014 Steelers 2015 Steelers 2016 Steelers 2017 Steelers 2018 Steelers 2019 Steelers 2020 Steelers 2021 Steelers 2022 Steelers 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 8-8 11-5 10-6 11-5 13-3 9-6-1 8-8 12-4 9-7-1 9-8. Walter Abercrombie: To this day, Abercrombie is Baylor Universitys all-time leading rusher with 3,674 yards while scoring 22 touchdowns. A fullback is not required in this type of offensive game plan. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Really, he will just be doing what teams like the Steelers did for decades. Mendenhall provided the following reason for retiring so young: Football was pretty cool, but I dont want to play anymore. but every NFL team has talented players. 6:02; See All. [2] He led the NFL with 576 yards in 1932 and held on to the record throughout his career. Offseason Strategy: Already having their starting running back for the immediate future, the offseason as it concerns the running back position will be dedicated solely toward seeking out quality . Overall, he ran for 4,731 yards and 28 touchdowns playing for the Rams, Falcons and Patriots from 2010-15. Harris was a part of four championship team and would be named to the Pro Bowl nine times. Fuqua led the Steelers in rushing in 1970 and 1971 and totaled 2,942 yards on the ground during his time in Pittsburgh. Touchdowns. These honorable mentions may not have a place on this list of all-time best Steelers running backs, but if you are a Steelers fan, there is a good chance you'll remember them fondly. Emmitt Smith has held the record since surpassing Walter Payton's long-standing total in 2002. Anderson was traded mid-season in 1986; he played four games for the Cardinals and eight for the Giants. In 2012, the Steelers found themselves with JONATHAN DWYER as their leading rusher, which is what led to the spending of a second-round pick in the following draft on Le'Veon Bell. During that year, Peterson won league MVP the last running back to do so. 10 Best Linebackers in Steelers History (+Honorable Mentions) The Steelers won a lot of games in the late-90s to mid-2000s by lining up 250-pound running back Jerome Bettis behind 250-pound fullback Dan Kreider and bulldozing any defense that came before them. Le'Veon Bell was one of the best Steelers running backs of all time. 9-Rocky Bleier. For years, the Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a team that dominated with the run. NFL combine: How elite draft prospect Bijan Robinson represents league Dudley owns 44 touchdowns to his credit. He already has as many touchdowns rushing as Bam Morris Unfortunately, before the season began last year, Bell was arrested with LeGarrette Blount for a DWI and possession of marijuana. It's hard to believe, but the second decade of the 21st century is nearly complete. It is unfortunate, and I would guess I am not alone in wishing the Steelers would return to their roots and play power football again. Hoak made a Pro Bowl in 1968 and is currently ranked seventh in Steelers' history for all-time rushing yards with 3,965. He also had three catches in that loss for 18 yards. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Bell rushed for 1,361 yards in 2014, but what turned that into first-team All-Pro recognition were his 83 catches for 854 yards. 2. The 34-year-old made All-Pro twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he added two more All-Pro nominations during 2012 and 2015. All-time Scoring Leader: Gary Anderson 1,343 points Unfortunately, injuries have slowed him over the last couple of years and prevented him from running for more than 865 yards in a season. To no ones surprise, Art Rooney Sr. mailed a post card to his running back while in recovery that said, Rock We need you. That was the kind of man The Chief was. He'll continue to split time with Nick Chubb in the backfield, but the Browns are a run-first team that will use the talents of both. This was the age of the feature back, when one superstar halfback got most of the carries. I predict that sometime in the next decade, an offensive coordinator will go back to power football and line up with a tight end, a fullback, and a tailback in an I-formation for most of the game. NFL Draft: 10 best running backs available in 2023 - Page 6 In both seasons, he made All-Pro. It wasn't too long ago that Freeman was regarded as a top-five back in the league. Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Zero Running Back Strategy Franco Harris is the Pittsburgh Steelers career leader in rushing yards with 11,950. NFL combine: CB prospect hoping for on-field family reunion A dominant defense and an unstoppable running gamethats Steelers Football. Merril Hoge: Lasting until the 10th round in the 1987 NFL draft, Merril Hoge was a tough as nails runner for the Steelers who suffered a rash of concussion injuries that would cost him his career. Bettis came to the team at a time of free agency where the franchise didn't have the financial wherewithal that since has been created by Heinz Field, and yet he stayed. Visit ESPN to view the Pittsburgh Steelers team depth chart for the current season The days of Jim Brown or John Riggins getting 40 carries a game are gone. But since then he has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing years and 4,545 yards on the ground in five years. Jerome Bettis was a 250-pound battering ram with incredible quickness for a man his size. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s. His 4.3 yards-per-carry average for his career is second only to John Henry Johnsons 4.4 and ties him with Wille Parker among Pittsburghs top ten rushers in history for yardage. Top 12 Fantasy Running Backs: Hall of Fame Week Edition Bill Dudley was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and 10 year prior was inducted into College Footballs Hall of Fame. Always free! The 30-year-old has failed to rush for 500 yards in four of his seven seasons in the NFL. While the team continued to utilize the same rushing attack that had earned them four Lombardi Trophies in the '70s, the cast of characters and the results were not the same. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. Despite the occurrences of injury, Hoge ran for 3,115 yards as a Steeler and rushed for 21 touchdowns. Tracy ran for 2,717 yards and 15 touchdowns in his time with Pittsburgh and caught 96 passes for 1,322 yards and 14 touchdowns. Fuqua will be forever remembered by Steelers fans as the intended receiver of Terry Bradshaws Immaculate Reception pass, which ricocheted into the arms of Franco Harris. Included are players that played for the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1945-2022, the Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) from 1940-1942 and the Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) from 1933-1939. Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010. The controversy surrounds what is called by many as the Greatest play in NFL history. What those teams dont have is a legacy of bullying and dominating opponents, and that is what brought the Steelers six Super Bowl championships. Johnson was a bruising fullback who spent time in San Francisco and Detroit before coming to Pittsburgh in 1960. Harris was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. All-time Receiving Leader: Hines Ward 1,000 rec, 12,083 yds, 85 TD . His best season was in 1985 when he rushed for 991 yards. He also posted at least 1,500 yards from scrimmage during 2013 and 2014 when the Seahawks went to two Super Bowls. Find out more. Picking Le'Veon Bell here might be one of those choices that spurs debate among fans, but it comes down to the belief he's going to become the Steelers' version of Marshall Faulk. His 6-foot-2, 230 pound frame made it virtually impossible for one defender to take him down. name the pittsburgh steelers running back to the last 10 years Each offense makes its own set of demands on running backs, and every back mentioned in this article needed a specific set of attributes to succeed. In 1979, he started 10 games in place of Bleier and ran for 585 yards and six touchdowns. During his career, he's averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game. In the last 10 years, 10 different backs have led the league in PPR scoring. Lynch was an underrated pass-catcher in his prime too. He finished his career in Pittsburgh with 3,115 rushing yards, 241 receptions, and 34 total touchdowns. Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Player Roster | NFL.com This led to fans chanting Hey Diddle Diddle, Rogel Up the Middle. There was just one occasion that the Steelers failed to use Rogel on the games first play. 1. Adrian Peterson is a running back with over thirteen years in the NFL. Player Team Age Total Value Avg./Year Total Guaranteed Fully Guaranteed Free Agency; Christian McCaffrey: 49ers: 27: $64,063,412: $16,015,853: $36,346,412: $30,062,500 Sadly, the days of Steelers Football seem to have gone the way of the dropkick.